Monday, May 21, 2012

May 21, 2012









The Plan of Salvation

Herro, queridos..

I love Mondays because i get to share all my crazy adventures with you.. It blows my mind how much can truly happen in just one week. I don´t know where to start because i have had so many highs and lows.. So where to start.. high?? low?? okay, we´ll start with the low and end the email on a high note.. mmkay??

My recent convert Beto.. you know he was struggling to come back to church after he received the holy ghost.. For a few weeks he has been trying to avoid Irmã and i and he would never answer our phone calls.. Well, I was sitting on a bench praying Thursday afternoon and the spirit told me to call Beto.. I called his phone and his mother answered, so i chatted with her for a bit and then i asked, is Beto around? I would really like to talk to him.. She said, Beto passed away last Friday. I said no.. you´re lying. She said, no it´s true.. I chocked on my words and had nothing to say.. i said i´ll call you back. I called Beto´s friend, Luis and said.. where is Beto? How is he doing? Luis said, Beto passed away last Friday.. I said i need to talk to you.. where are you? So we met at a park 15 minutes later and he told me it was true. Beto had died due to a heart attack in his home and his mother heard him fall and found him on the floor. He went into a coma and died just a few hours later. Luis cried and said he was my only friend.. I feel so alone.. I was an emotional wreck, and could only think of a few scriptures to read, told him of heavenly fathers plan and then we prayed with him and left.. Words do not come close to expressing how i felt listening to this story. I felt numb.

For the last few days i have been reflecting on Heavenly Fathers plan.. like seriously reflecting because Beto was just baptized not even a month ago. He was so elect the week of his baptism and right afterwards Satan worked overtime on him.. He had lost his testimony and wasn´t the same Beto we met just the week before.. Heavenly Father needed Beto to find us in the exact moment that we found him, he needed to be taught about his worth and then be baptized.. Once he was baptized.. His mission was complete here. I feel so privileged to have been an instrument for heavenly father to help Beto finally arrive at the baptismal font and complete his purpose here on earth. After a day of crying and reflecting my testimony was strengthened and i so badly just want to continue to find those who heavenly father is preparing for me and Irmã Barlow. Our time here is so limited and short. It´s gone in the blink of an eye.

Sooo.. Alright on with the high now.. Domingo, our amazing investigator.. He is the man that bore his testimony in church his first Sunday with us a few weeks ago.. remember him?? He had been asking for a gospel principles book after his first time in church with us so we gave him one last Sunday and I was hoping he would actually flip through it.. well, we taught him this week and he pulled out the gospel principles book and said so i have been reading the last few days and i am already on the 15th chapter.. My mouth hung WIDE open. Domingo is a boss!! He loves the book of mormon and our message but he can´t seem to reflect on baptism a second time.. He said he will only do it one time and that is it.. I am kinda stuck and not sure what else to do besides bearing my testimony, telling him to read the scriptures, and pray night and day.. it is going to take a miracle to get him in the water, but pai celestial is all about miracles so i am just trusting in him right now..

Irmã Barlow and i had two of the coolest contacts this week at the metro stop.. The first one a man walked up to us and said.. is that a book of mormon? We said, yes.. Have you talked with our colleagues before? He said yeah.. I have been to your church too and i loved it. I actually lost my book of mormon. Can i buy that one from you? We said.. No way.. we will give it to you for free.. He was so excited and said okay.. I am coming to church with you on Sunday.. Where can i meet you? We planned it all out and then i said before we leave can we say a prayer with you? He said yeah.. I will say it. Then he said the prayer for us and it was legit.. He ended up not coming to church with us yesterday because he woke up sick but we marked to meet with him this week. I am so excited for this sweet little child of god.. The elect are walking among us!!

The next contact i talked to a mother of 4 and began to testify of the restoration of the gospel and she said, I am Muslim. I am not interested but can i give your card to my son? My husband died a few years ago and my son hasn´t been able to recuperate since the death.. He dropped school, work and doesn´t do much. He needs a path, faith or something. HELLO.. I said what is your address and we will be RIGHT OVER! So we exchanged information, prayed with her and she couldn´t stop thanking us for the prayer and message.. She said i have my faith, but i respect you for what you are doing. Thank you. She was so kind.

There are so many more adventures and miracle stories but they are in my journal and you´ll just have to wait.. I love you all. Don´t ever give up on faith, treat EVERYONE WITH KINDNESS.. We are representatives of Christ at ALL TIMES.. as Members, friends, neighbors, missionaries.. whatever it may be.. Think before you act, and then act in the most appropriate way ya know.. okay great. Tchau!

Take care! XOXO - Com amor,  Irmã Boshard

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

8th Transfer ~ ALMADA ~ 14 MAY 2012

Minha Família,

I love you all so so much. Seriously.. oh mom.. Happy Mothers day!!!! I hope you have the best week ever.. You deserve it. You´re so kind, giving, and thoughtful. I can´t tell you how much i love you and i am grateful you get one whole day to yourself this week. Soak it allll in. I can´t wait to wish you happy mothers day during skype on Sunday. I am thinking i will do the same thing as Christmas and skype you at 7pm my time.. Just have skype on and ready to go when i call.

Alright news time... Transfers are today.. Irmã Wilde left for Madeira this morning.. ya know my last area in Machico.. I am so jealous.. and i will be staying in Almada for my 4th transfer and yep.. I am training AGAIN. 3rd transfer in a row. Heavenly Father needs me to learn something from this experience and from these sweet humble missionaries that are just arriving in the field. I feel so blessed to be their first companion and show them the ropes of missionary work. When they first get here they are so willing to do whatever it is that the Lord needs them to do. They are so humble and submissive to the spirit.. I love it! It makes me a better person and missionary to share these experiences with heavenly fathers daughters. Pray that i can continue to do the will of heavenly father. He really needs me to help teach his children how to be strong missionaries.. This is a huge responsibility. But i am grateful and love every moment.

Currently i am in Odivelas, (my first area in Portugal) until Thursday when my new companion will arrive.. It is so fun to return to my first area and see some of my recent converts.. Little tender mercies from the Lord.

Irmã Wilde and i had the most incredible day yesterday at church.. We walked into the chapel, there was a man in the entry talking with a member.. the member stopped me and said, Irmã.. Do you know this man.. I said no, i am sorry. What is your name? He said Antonio.. I talked to you a few weeks ago.. I said, oh really.. I am so sorry i do not remember you.. Where did i meet you? He began to explain and then i remembered we had contacted him like 5 weeks on the sidewalk and he wasn´t super interested in listening to us so we just left our card with him and promised him blessings if he came to Church with us and then we carried on.. Well, Yesterday Antonio said that he saw our card that we gave him and he was interested in seeing our church services. He came to church alone and stayed for all of sacrament meeting.. It was a miracle from Heavenly Father.. but that is not all.. Irmã Wilde and i contacted a man named Domingo this week and invited him to church and he actually came!!!!!!! He sat and listened attentively during testimony meeting and then at the end of the meeting he got up to bear his testimony and said he loved the feeling of the spirit and was grateful that we stopped to talk to him in he road.. He said this was the second time he had been invited to attend the LDS church and he knew the Lord was telling him something. He Loved the way we held the service.. He was so legit.. then at the end he yelled alleluia! Amen. Then he sat down.. I was BEAMING!!!!! We had other investigators in church too, but i can´t express my gratitude for every blessing that Heavenly Father has given me. He is so good to us out here in the field. I find the greatest joy in seeing the happiness of my investigators..

Thank you for all your prayers for me and Almada.. Do you remember me talking about Misael?? He walked out of priesthood yesterday and said, Irmãs I am going to be baptized. We screamed and said when.. he said tomorrow.. We screamed again and said.. let´s go and plan your baptism right now... So as we were planning his baptism we talked about the law of chastity and found out that he is living with his girlfriend.. He always calls her his wife so we thought they were married but in reality they are not.. We told him they have to get married or separate until they get married.. you know because of the temptations and all.. He said for the last year they have been talking about splitting but it has been hard because they have a daughter involved.. Man, this is complicated.. We all cried together and he knows that baptism is what he needs to do, So we are praying SUPER HARD that everything will go well and we´ll talk to him this week to see what he and his girlfriend are going to do.. He told me yesterday that i needed to be present at his baptism and i was not allowed to leave the area or he was going to call president Torgan.. well his prayer was answered.. Misael is legit.. beyond legit.. He is the next stake president here in Portugal.. I can´t tell you how heavenly father prepares his children for our message, but he does.. It is a privilege to know these converts in the church. I LOVE THEM..

I know i am staying in Almada because our ward needs to be strengthened. We are weak now but through the small and simple things, the great things are going to happen.. 1 nephi 16.. i don´t know the verse.. look it up. Day by day we can make changes and before we know the hearts of people become softer and more open to the work.. I am excited to stay here again and get deep in the work. I hope you all continue to strengthen your testimonies and make good decisions. We´ve only got one shot at this life.. Make the most of it now and stop thinking about yourself.. Get to work and serve god. I love you all.

XOXO Beijos
Com amor,  Irmã Boshard

RELEASE DATE ! ! ! wait N see .....

If you´re really wondering, the release date for my mission is December 5.. Well that was at least what was on my card from the MTC.



You can all calm down and rely on the lord.. whatever his will is.. i will do it. I´ll stay 6 more weeks or i will come home when i am scheduled to. mmmkay???    I love you all but i love serving the lord too..



Monday, May 7, 2012

May 7, 2012 - Almada, Portugal - 8th Transfer

Minha Família,

I love you all so so much. Seriously.. oh mom.. Happy Mothers day!!!! I hope you have the best week ever.. You deserve it. You´re so kind, giving, and thoughtful. I can´t tell you how much i love you and i am grateful you get one whole day to yourself this week. Soak it allll in. I can´t wait to wish you happy mothers day during skype on Sunday. I am thinking i will do the same thing as Christmas and skype you at 7pm my time.. Just have skype on and ready to go when i call.

Alright news time... Transfers are today.. Irmã Wilde left for Madeira this morning.. ya know my last area in Machico.. I am so jealous.. and i will be staying in Almada for my 4th transfer and yep.. I am training AGAIN. 3rd transfer in a row. Heavenly Father needs me to learn something from this experience and from these sweet humble missionaries that are just arriving in the field. I feel so blessed to be their first companion and show them the ropes of missionary work. When they first get here they are so willing to do whatever it is that the Lord needs them to do. They are so humble and submissive to the spirit.. I love it! It makes me a better person and missionary to share these experiences with heavenly fathers daughters. Pray that i can continue to do the will of heavenly father. He really needs me to help teach his children how to be strong missionaries.. This is a huge responsibility. But i am grateful and love every moment.

Currently i am in Odivelas, (my first area in Portugal) until Thursday when my new companion will arrive.. It is so fun to return to my first area and see some of my recent converts.. Little tender mercies from the Lord.

Irmã Wilde and i had the most incredible day yesterday at church.. We walked into the chapel, there was a man in the entry talking with a member.. the member stopped me and said, Irmã.. Do you know this man.. I said no, i am sorry. What is your name? He said Antonio.. I talked to you a few weeks ago.. I said, oh really.. I am so sorry i do not remember you.. Where did i meet you? He began to explain and then i remembered we had contacted him like 5 weeks on the sidewalk and he wasn´t super interested in listening to us so we just left our card with him and promised him blessings if he came to Church with us and then we carried on.. Well, Yesterday Antonio said that he saw our card that we gave him and he was interested in seeing our church services. He came to church alone and stayed for all of sacrament meeting.. It was a miracle from Heavenly Father.. but that is not all.. Irmã Wilde and i contacted a man named Domingo this week and invited him to church and he actually came!!!!!!! He sat and listened attentively during testimony meeting and then at the end of the meeting he got up to bear his testimony and said he loved the feeling of the spirit and was grateful that we stopped to talk to him in he road.. He said this was the second time he had been invited to attend the LDS church and he knew the Lord was telling him something. He Loved the way we held the service.. He was so legit.. then at the end he yelled alleluia! Amen. Then he sat down.. I was BEAMING!!!!! We had other investigators in church too, but i can´t express my gratitude for every blessing that Heavenly Father has given me. He is so good to us out here in the field. I find the greatest joy in seeing the happiness of my investigators.
Thank you for all your prayers for me and Almada.. Do you remember me talking about Misael?? He walked out of priesthood yesterday and said, Irmãs I am going to be baptized. We screamed and said when.. he said tomorrow.. We screamed again and said.. let´s go and plan your baptism right now... So as we were planning his baptism we talked about the law of chastity and found out that he is living with his girlfriend.. He always calls her his wife so we thought they were married but in reality they are not.. We told him they have to get married or separate until they get married.. you know because of the temptations and all.. He said for the last year they have been talking about splitting but it has been hard because they have a daughter involved.. Man, this is complicated.. We all cried together and he knows that baptism is what he needs to do, So we are praying SUPER HARD that everything will go well and we´ll talk to him this week to see what he and his girlfriend are going to do.. He told me yesterday that i needed to be present at his baptism and i was not allowed to leave the area or he was going to call president Torgan.. well his prayer was answered.. Misael is legit.. beyond legit.. He is the next stake president here in Portugal.. I can´t tell you how heavenly father prepares his children for our message, but he does.. It is a privilege to know these converts in the church. I LOVE THEM.

I know i am staying in Almada because our ward needs to be strengthened. We are weak now but through the small and simple things, the great things are going to happen.. 1 nephi 16.. i don´t know the verse.. look it up. Day by day we can make changes and before we know the hearts of people become softer and more open to the work.. I am excited to stay here again and get deep in the work. I hope you all continue to strengthen your testimonies and make good decisions. We´ve only got one shot at this life.. Make the most of it now and stop thinking about yourself.. Get to work and serve God. I love you all.

XOXO   Beijos   Com amor,     Irmã Boshard

Marvelous Monday Mornings with Mackenzie ~

APRIL 30, 2012

Waaad up Boshard family...

My oh my.. What week we have had out here in Almada this week. It´s been ice cold, windy, rainy and miserable one day.. Then the next day the weather changes and it´s hot and goes all bi-polar on us.. It´s really funny during rain storms here because our electricity is weak and our lights flicker.. Like the haunted mansion at Disneyland. ha ha we love everything about the antique stuff here.

On Wednesday i got a call from Irmã Torgan saying that Irmã Wilde and i were receiving a new addition to our companionship.. Irmã Rojo was in California waiting for her visa and it finally came so she arrived here in Portugal during this transfer and the Lord decided that i should train two greenies again.. We are having so many great experiences together. Irmã Rojo is from California and speaks Spanish so she is pretty good with the language.. What a blessing for her.. Irmã Wilde has been SUPER blessed with the gift of tongues and has picked up the language very quickly.. I am thrilled for her.. and then there is me.. and well.. I am still learning.. It´s not as easy as it seams to learn a new language.. Seriously.. I thought it would be a breeze but i am still butchering my way through it.

This week The Irmãs and i have been working so hard with our investigator Valdino.. He has been meeting with the missionaries since 2005. He is so ready for baptism but won´t let go of his fears with the "what if´s" after baptism. He had finally accepted baptism last week and we were preparing him with killer lessons, he loved it and felt the spirit, but yesterday we went to get him for church and he IGNORED US! it was horrible.. We went to church so sad and defeated. Satan had gotten a hold of Valdino and his baptism fell yesterday. After church was over we went to Valdino´s house and talked about his fears and how the lord will help him for the rest of his life.. Clearly we are not perfect and the savior knows that.. So he will give us the courage to continue on and he will strengthen our weaknesses.

Valdino said.. come back in 20 days and we will talk. I need to think about this.. We said you have been thinking about this for 7 YEARS!!! My heart breaks for him.. He is miserable and so lonely. Pray for Valdino.

Thankfully with every heartbreak we have other things to look forward to. Misael!!!!! He is the one who invited us over to his house on my birthday.. He is AMAZING!!! This morning Bishop Vaz came with us to teach him and it turned into a VERY LONG conversation of everything under the sun. Seriously, Misael is going to be the best stake president here in Portugal. We just have to get him in the water.. Bishop loved him and can´t wait to talk to him more this week. To see the progress of Misael has been worth every tear i have ever shed here on the mission because i know he has a testimony and knows the gospel is true.. He just has some things to take care of and he will be on the right track straight to heaven. He has a heart of gold and will a dear friend for the rest of my life. He is the best dad to his little girl and is so good to his wife.. They will make a huge difference in our ward. I am so excited! 

Ruth and her husband Antonio are making progress.. They still aren´t coming to church but they are reading and love the message.. Ruth wants her whole family to have a Book of Mormon and she wants a miracle or vision to have the faith we have and we told her that she needs to come to church!!!! She´ll make it there. I know it.. I can´t tell you what it blessing it was to have found her contacting on the streets.. Antonio is going to take some time because last night he told us that Joseph Smith did not see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ but he just created the church on his own and he said what we teach about the word of wisdom contradicts the bible.. you know we don´t drink wine and Christ did.. Well.. It´s something we are working with and there is nothing that we can´t handle.
THIS IS THE WORK OF THE LORD!!!!!!!! I hope you know i love my name tag and i will forever cherish this time the lord has given me to do his work in Portugal.

I LOVE YOU XOXO   Com amor,   Irma Boshard